


The One That Counts

by Diana_Prallon



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: 5 Things, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Angst, Canon Compliant, Canon Era, Fluff, Jealous Arthur, Jealous Merlin, M/M, New Year's Kiss, New Years, Oblivious Arthur Pendragon, Reincarnation, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-23 15:29:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13193049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diana_Prallon/pseuds/Diana_Prallon
Summary: 5 times Arthur didn't kiss Merlin at New Year's festivities, and the one time he did.





	The One That Counts

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, thank you lovely mods for Winterknights that is always a joy to write for. Sorry for the delay in this.  
> Thanks, too, to everyone in Merlin_Chat and to the lovely people that allowed me to write it down.

I.

It didn’t occur to Arthur until the moment the festivities begun that he had not told Merlin about the traditional good-wishes kiss that was exchanged in Camelot after the King declared the New Year had started. His father was in a rare good mood as he welcomed the new, smiling to everyone, and there was preciously little Arthur could do but watch from Merlin, looking puzzled and lost in the side-lines while the crowd started exchanging kisses and further greetings. Arthur had never truly considered how little time Merlin had to mix with the rest of the kingdom, how few friends he truly had — and surely, he would not kiss Gaius, even formally. Arthur could only watch as Gwen approached, biting her lower lip in a show of nerves that made the prince’s stomach lurch, almost predicting what was to come. She offered Merlin a shy smile, and a flurry of words (from what Arthur could see), before leaning forwards and kissing his cheek without prior notice. Gwen blush was noticeable even with her dark skin, Merlin’s face was on fire and Arthur’s belly seemed in knots from second-hand embarrassment.

Arthur turned sharply around towards Morgana, the one person he was supposed to be kissing, and if his mouth was harder than usual, no one noticed. His kiss landed on the corner of her mouth, and he whispered a promise of more that she laughed away with a slap. It was no surprise, Morgana hadn’t wanted more from him since they were eleven and experimented with “kissing like the stable boys and chambermaids do”, they both had decided that day that they’d never touch each other _like that_ again. Still, as Arthur turned back to watch Gwen and Merlin’s continued conversation and flushed faces, he felt himself a bit bitter, though the reason he could not name.

* * *

 

II.

Next year, naturally, Merlin was supposed to be more prepared for the New Year festivities, but he seemed completely wrong-footed when one of the scullery maids tried kissing him. Not that Arthur was watching — he was in fact looking for Gwen in the crowd. There was no chance that he would get to kiss her, but that did not mean he couldn’t look once he got his perfunctory kiss on Morgana’s cheek out of the way. Still, the way Merlin flinched caught his eye, and he was so uncomfortable that Arthur could almost _feel_ it from all across the hall.

Truth was, things had been difficult in the last few months, with Morgause’s treachery and later the attack of the Bastet. Arthur couldn’t say the _exact_ reason that had left Merlin out of sorts — lacking his usual good-cheer and energy, though he valiantly faked it for Arthur’s sake; moping around the corners when he thought no one could see. It didn’t surprise Arthur that Merlin wasn’t much into partying.

Arthur found nearby, looking at Merlin with the same concern. She looked to the high table, their eyes meeting, and the smile she gave him was sweeter than any kiss. The prince could only try and return it, but she was no longer paying attention, her expression determined as she marched towards his manservant, shooed the other girl away and threw her arm around him like he was a lost duckling. She leaned in, kissing him softly on the cheek, and Merlin smiled at her, but it never reached his eyes. He was just humouring her, much like he did with Arthur himself, and at that moment, the prince decided he needed nothing as much as seeing him smile truly again.

Even if it meant making a fool of himself.

* * *

 

III.

Arthur really couldn’t understand the bitterness in Merlin’s face. They were supposed to be celebrating — unlike last year, when Uther seemed to be fading under their very eyes and Morgana’s absence had been such a huge hole in the hall. Now she was back, more than that, she was healthy and safe after their scare at her birthday, and all was meant to be _well_. Still, Merlin looked sour as a lemon.

He was the one that should be sour, being pushed into a marriage he neither expected to be suggested or wanted. It was clear _someone_ had made an effort at making Elena look more presentable, but she was almost as dishevelled as she had been when coming into the kingdom. He supposed he could see some traces of the grace she showed when mounting, and she was a nice enough girl, but that was far from being base to build a marriage.

Maybe that was it, Merlin and Gwen had always been thick as thieves and if _she_ looked like she could understand why he should marry Elena, it would not be out of his usual behaviour for Merlin to decide that he knew better and be angry for her sake. Well, if Arthur’s heart _were_ all that mattered, he would never have reason to be like that, but the truth was more complicated than that.

King Uther was gracious in ceding the right to declare the incoming year to Lord Godwyn, and Arthur leaned sideways and kissed his betrothed on her cheek, though she only snorted at it. He couldn’t help but to do the same, because it _was_ a bit ridiculous that the two of them would be in this situation, and he needed all his strength to resist the laughter growing inside him as he caught sight of Morgana’s smirk. It only grew bigger as Leon was pushed towards her — it was an open secret just how often they had shared their own New Year’s kisses as the elders left and the celebrations grew more raucous — before applying her red lips to his ginger beard. The mood was such that Uther didn’t even blink at it, though normally he wouldn’t allow anyone near Morgana.

Merlin, on the other hand, looked sour and sour, and even Gwen’s customary kiss couldn’t make a dent on the bitterness in his face.

But maybe Arthur was not the only one who loved someone he could never have.

* * *

 

IV.

It was not the first time Arthur was in charge of declaring the incoming year — he had done so _last_ year, but it was different. There was no ghost-like Uther next to him, unseeing, a statue more than a King. No, now it was all him, and there was a manic energy around the Hall as people celebrated a new year, a new reign, a new era and all seemed laughter and happiness. For the first time, Arthur dared kissing Gwen — it didn’t matter what anyone would say. They should know the truth; know where his heart belonged, and he was glad to press his lips straight into hers in full view of everyone. He didn’t want the moment to end, the softness of Gwen’s lips under his, the closeness of her warm body and the flowered scent that could fill everything around until he could almost forget what was missing — his father, his _sister_ — and just focus on the good of it.

They parted to cheering and catcalls from the knights, and Arthur turned, ready to joke and tease them about getting his due, only to find out they _weren’t_ the reason for the noise. In the middle of the hall, Gwaine had Merlin lowered on his arm as if his manservant was some sort of fainting maid, his mouth right on Merlin’s, his tongue licking the servant’s lips open while Merlin half-chocked, half-laughed and for once looked completely at ease with the way New Year was celebrated in Camelot.

Arthur cleared his throat out loud, getting their attention and the knights dispersed. Gwaine brought Merlin back up, a shit-eating grin on his face, and Merlin blushed under Arthur’s arched eyebrow. Still, he didn’t know what exactly to say, and it fell to his uncle to end the awkward moment.

“The king’s cup is empty,” he enunciated clearly, and Merlin jerked his head before leaving to pick up another wine jar.

But Arthur, of course, was not upset, merely annoyed at being upstaged.

* * *

 

V.

Had Arthur known that would be the last time ever he would declare the coming Year, he would have prepared an appropriate speech. But, of course, he had no idea of what was to come — life seemed golden and if Morgana was once again at large and plotting against them, Arthur was confident they could face whatever she threw at them. Not even her attempt at breaking his heart and kingdom from the inside by ensorcelling Gwen had worked. No, Arthur was more grateful than ever for his Queen, her hand safely in his as he announced the New Year and her so familiar lips on his to seal the moment.

It was not so surprising, either, to see Merlin squirming at the corner; he fussed about everything like a mother hen. He looked weary as he saw Mordred coming his way, though the young knight did nothing nearly as well as following Merlin like a lost puppy. There was an obvious plea in his eyes as he leaned closer and kissed Merlin’s cheek, and not for the first time Arthur wondered if Merlin truly preferred the company of his own sex. It was not something he had ever truly considered, and he had dismissed Gwaine’s attack as just his natural lack of limits, but there might be more to it.

Merlin caught his eye through the hall, and, for a moment, he looked defiant — then, he looked back at Mordred in front of him, still speaking, and grabbed a fistful of his dark vests as he pulled him closer, smashing their mouths together. It didn’t take long for Mordred to answer enthusiastically, and Arthur’s stomach felt weird, though _why_ he could not say. He just looked away, avoiding the whole thing.

Arthur never caught the triumphant smirk Merlin sent his way when the kissing was done.

* * *

 

I.

So much had changed in the centuries he had been asleep, and truth was, Arthur was not sure he would ever truly understand this chaotic world in which unimaginable distances were crossed faster than he would’ve reached Ealdor, in which warfare was done without moving from the living room, where people spoke to others through screens instead of in person. It was too much to him, so many new things, and yet, some things never changed.

Arthur was not afraid to admit that he had spent a rather large amount of time staring at the television since his return, it seemed a good use as any of his time when Merlin kept batting his hands away from things to be done at home (after he broke two microwaves and three hoovers, but who was counting?), so he knew that some traditions had remained.

New Year’s kiss, to be more exact.

The once and future king would have loved to say that he hadn’t lost any sleep over it, that he hadn’t fretted and wondered and hoped to do something sooner, but if his courage had never deserted him in the field of battle, the same could not be said when it came from the heart. No, facing the adversary was easier, facing his own feelings? Not so much.

So, when the time came, he did not give himself time to think — to be afraid, to second guess himself, to wonder if he was doing the biggest mistake of his life.

They were standing in the middle of the crowd, two young men in a midst of so many other, almost anonymous. He could just take a deep breath and turn Merlin towards him, ignoring the fireworks drawing on the sky, and jump straight in.

Merlin’s lips were nothing like Gwen’s or any other he remembered from his long-lost life. They were nothing like anything he had ever known. Once Merlin had told him he _was_ magic, magic made human, and in kissing him, Arthur could well believe it. There couldn’t be any words in any human language able to describe the feeling that hit him when they kissed, that spread through all of his body as he felt Merlin’s shock give way to hunger. It was impossible that someone could write down the mix of feelings Arthur was sinking in and how every single part of the universe seemed to come into place as they kissed.

He didn’t think he would’ve been able to speak if he wanted as they parted.

Merlin, on the other hand, had no such compunctions.

“Took you long enough,” he said, cheeky as ever, dimples marking his smile even under the stubble he had been sporting lately.

“Shut up Merlin,” was all he could answer, wondering to himself how on Earth was he supposed to keep away now.

“Make me,” Merlin sighed, a challenge and a request, one that Arthur could not refuse.

There was only ever one way to do it, the only path Arthur would take to keep him smiling, to keep him quiet, from now on.

A second before he kissed Merlin again, all those New Year’s he hadn’t done so flashed in his memory, such a waste of time, but there would be no more wasting.

Leaning back in, Arthur kissed Merlin again as the crowds cheered, the fireworks exploded, and the universe sang in their name.

 


End file.
